Featured Commentary category, Page 24

The Saturday Night Massacre refers to the extraordinary clash between the commitment to democratic principles and the outer limits of presidential power that created the most memorable constitutional crisis of the Watergate era. And it carries exceptional relevance for today’s political climate. The defining moment of the “massacre” was the...

There’s just something about the Jews. (I’m Jewish, so I can say that.) For thousands of years, from the Romans to the Nazis to Kanye West, we have possessed that je ne sais quois that drives people mad. To paraphrase Regina George, “Why are you so obsessed with us?” In...

Many universities and college campuses maintain unique, decades-long Halloween traditions. While most emphasize inclusion, engagement and creativity, others can promote excessive partying, heavy drinking and drug use. As communities gear up for the holiday season, it’s a good time to begin knowing the risks associated with heavy drinking and recreational...

Some popular shows on PBS and cable TV are about renovating old houses - taking dilapidated, out-of-fashion and dreary houses and turning them into modern, functioning, and attractive places in which to live. Renovation is precisely what is needed in our country whose national debt, open borders and as we’ve...

Fiction writers are in an uproar that artificial intelligence will intensify competition. They want large-language models to either stop training on their literature or to be paid royalties. Like the Luddites weavers in the 18th century, who broke into factories to smash textile looms, these writers want special status to...

As Israel prepares for a massive military operation against Hamas in Gaza, risks of an escalating regional conflict loom large. The most critical additional threat to Israel is from Hezbollah, the militant group and political party based across Israel’s northern border in Lebanon. Hamas and Hezbollah are both backed by...

When Gov. Josh Shapiro recently signed historic legislation creating Act 7 of 2023, he kept a promise he made to older Pennsylvanians by delivering a major expansion of the Property Tax/Rent Rebate (PTRR) program. The governor recognizes this program serves as a lifeline for hundreds of thousands of people in...

The recent sexual harassment scandal rocking Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration has made many headlines. And though Shapiro must take these accusations seriously, there could be a silver lining for the governor: Appointing a new head of legislative affairs offers the opportunity to reset his relationship with lawmakers. So far, Shapiro...

The world is going to hell and taking America’s wealth, military power and geopolitical influence with it. Thanks to the terrorists of Hamas, we’re slowly being pulled deeper into a war in Israel that could set the whole Middle East on fire. And remember the bloody war in Ukraine? It’s...

After the invasion of southern Israel by Hamas militants, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday vowed to destroy Hamas. “We are fighting a cruel enemy, worse than ISIS,” Netanyahu said, comparing Hamas with the Islamic State group, which was largely defeated by U.S., Iraqi and Kurdish forces in 2017....

President Joe Biden’s decision to travel to an active war zone and the scene of an unfolding humanitarian crisis spoke volumes, even before his arrival. The White House has stated that Biden’s purpose is to “demonstrate his steadfast support for Israel” after Hamas’ “brutal terrorist attack” Oct. 7. But Israel wasn’t...

A decade ago, the U.S. was deep into a misguided elite-driven freakout about the federal budget deficit. Back then, inflation was low, interest rates were low, and unemployment was high. In other words: There was no urgent reason to have a debate about ways to reduce federal borrowing. Now the...

The average American may spend little time thinking about the domestic steel industry, but despite its low profile it remains vital to the American economy (especially in manufacturing) and to our national security. According to BDO, “annual (steel) production was approximately 1.25 million tons in 1880, 10 million tons in...

On “60 Minutes” last Sunday, President Biden said he thinks it would be a “mistake … for Israel to occupy … Gaza again.” He also conceded that eliminating Hamas and Hezbollah in Lebanon “is a necessary requirement.” At the same time, the president said, “There needs to be a path...

The struggle between Israel and the Palestinians is a religious struggle. That is why compromise is so difficult and peace so elusive. Israel and Hamas are not equivalent. Hamas sent its forces into Israel specifically to kill and kidnap as many civilians as possible. That is barbarism, not warfare. In...

In normal times domestic political fights over foreign policy breakdown more or less along a conventional left-right divide. These are not normal times. The right is largely united around the need to support Israel in its war with Hamas, but increasingly divided about backing Ukraine in its war with Russia....

More than a century ago in 1900, Black intellectual extraordinaire W.E.B. Du Bois stated the problem of the 20th century would be the problem of the color line. He was right on target. This prophetic message remains relevant today in the 21st century. If the past several years have taught...

Let’s talk about school choice. But first consider this old saw: “The nine most terrifying words in the English language are: ‘I’m from the government and I’m here to help.’” President Ronald Reagan popularized this expression in 1986. I first heard it at a graduation ceremony in the late 1980s,...

Why don’t they just leave? As Israel’s furious retaliation for last weekend’s Hamas attack devastates large swaths of the Gaza strip, killing hundreds and maiming thousands of Palestinians, it is not unreasonable to wonder why the 2.3 million civilians living in the tiny enclave don’t flee to safer ground. The...

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, as I was reminded over the weekend when a server offered me a special rose-colored cocktail to benefit a local cancer ward. I didn’t need that (delicious) beverage to be reminded that breast cancer is still the most common cancer among women. But it...

Think the federal government’s plan to add extra residency slots for health professional shortage areas will alleviate the growing rural physician shortage? Think again. The Journal of the American Medical Association recently published research showing that of the 400 newly federally funded residency slots, a mere 20 residents spend more...

Every October, manufacturers throughout the Pittsburgh region and beyond, including our Pennsylvania Chemical Industry Council (PCIC) members, celebrate National Manufacturing Month and the positive contributions manufacturing has on our society. The economic impacts are significant. According to the American Chemistry Council, the chemical and plastics industries inject over $14 billion,...

In recent years, the United States has seen a surge of white supremacist mass shootings against racial minorities. While not always the case, mass shooters tend to be young white men. Some journalists and researchers have argued that class and ideals of white masculinity are partly to blame. This argument...

The U.S. economy and voter polls have been delivering both good and bad news to Joe Biden, but Republicans have more to worry about than what voters think of the U.S. president. U.S. inflation has moderated and jobs growth is generally robust. Voters feel better about the economy, but don’t...

I graduated from the Kiski School in 1987, so I am a contemporary of David Conrad, who wrote an eloquent op-ed lamenting the decision of our alma mater to begin accepting girls next year (“What The Kiski School has lost,” Oct. 9, TribLIVE). David went so far as to speak...